Considering his hometown, his stature and his position of choice, the player Jalen Hurd most relates to is no surprise.

"There's not really anybody I compare myself to because I like to think I'm my own person and they're their own person, but somebody that I really idolized was Eddie George," he said. "To be a guy with that build and to play that long, he took a lot of impact on the field and pushed through it and stayed healthy and just kept running and getting yards. That's amazing."

Indeed, the former Tennessee Titans star played nine NFL seasons (the first eight with the Oilers/Titans organization) and piled up 10,441 rushing yards. Despite averaging 342 carries per season in his first eight years, George never missed a start because of injury.

"He was a very strong runner, and he had breakout speed," Hurd said. "He was a big target, but he played in the league all those years."

The description hangs out there: a big target. George was. And Hurd is.

At 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, George did not fit the template for a running back, first at Ohio State, then in the NFL. Hurd can relate. He enters his freshman season at Tennessee listed at 6-3 and 221 pounds.

When the Vols lined up in position groups for a photo shoot at UT's media day last week, Hurd looked out of place with the running backs. With his physique, he looks more like a tight end or a linebacker.

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Jalen Hurd: “You evolve as a running back. You have to focus on getting low. The coaches stress it all the time. As you cut, you squeeze the ball and protect it.”(Photo: Larry McCormack / File / THE TENNESSEAN)

He's grown accustomed to the inevitable questions.

"I've always been a tall running back," he said.

He's playing a different game now, however. As a phenom at Beech High in Hendersonville, Hurd simply overwhelmed opponents with his combination of power and speed. He's making the leap to the SEC, which is known for its search-and-destroy defensive talent.

Consider: Of the top 10 career rushing leaders at Tennessee, none was listed taller than 6-foot-1 when he left the program. Vols all-time leading rusher Travis Henry was a compact 5-9 and 223 pounds.

The three best running backs I ever saw at Tennessee were Chuck Webb, Charlie Garner and Jamal Lewis. Webb checked in at 5-9 and 201 pounds. Garner was 5-10, 190. Lewis was 6-1, 220.

"I know some parts of my body are going to take more contact, so I'm always trying to get my legs and my upper body stronger," he said.

Beyond that, though, he runs with a natural style. He's played the position since he was 10 years old. As a junior at Beech in 2012, he set a state record with 3,357 rushing yards and also ran for 43 touchdowns. He's accustomed to fitting into the category of Tall Running Back.

"Between my eighth and nine grade year, I hit a little growth spurt," he said. "That's when I gained most of my height. I had to get used to it a little bit.

"You evolve as a running back. You have to focus on getting low. The coaches stress it all the time. As you cut, you squeeze the ball and protect it."

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As a junior at Beech in 2012, Jalen Hurd set a state record with 3,357 rushing yards and also ran for 43 touchdowns.(Photo: Jae S. Lee / File / The Tennessean)

UT once churned out dominant tailbacks with regularity, but that has not been the case over the past several years. It is one of many reasons for the program's fall from grace. Hurd hopes to change all that. He knows the expectations are great.

"I know what people are expecting. I want to give that to them," he said.

Robert Gillespie has his own expectations. As UT's running backs coach, Gillespie believes players should sweat the small stuff. Hurd is no different.

"Nobody cares if you hit a hole that's blocked perfectly or if you catch a swing pass. We can put anybody in to do that," he said. "It's all about what you do when you don't have the ball in your hands. There might be 60 offensive plays in a game and you carry the ball 20. What are you doing on the other 40 plays?"

Gillespie keeps score. When one of his running backs properly handles a key detail, the player gets a "furious point" in his book.

Why furious?

"Offense is fast and furious," Gillespie said.

Hurd is a good pupil. Vols coach Butch Jones calls him "very grounded" and "very humble."

"He's the same player every day," Jones said.

Gillespie sees someone who expects much of himself even though he will play his freshman season as an 18-year-old.

"He's a focused kid," Gillespie said. "He's not a guy that feels like he has to fit in the crowd. He's not a follower. He has a different bounce to him, which is good. I think anybody that wants to be great isn't afraid to be different."

Although senior Marlin Lane is the presumptive starter at running back in the opening game, Hurd will get plenty of carries. In time, he could become the Vols' go-to running back this season. There is precedent. Four true freshmen have led UT in rushing as true freshmen — LaMarcus Coker (2006), Arian Foster (2005), Jamal Lewis (1997) and James Stewart (1991).

It's a tall order. But Jalen Hurd is a tall running back.

JALEN HURD BY THE NUMBERS

1: Uniform number with the Vols

43: Rushing TDs in his junior season at Beech

177: Yards in his only game during his senior year, shortened by injury

294: Points scored in 2012, a state record

394: Yards gained (with seven TDs) in state title game in 2012

451: Highest single-game rushing output his junior season

3,357: Rushing yards in2012, a state season record

David Climer's columns appear on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Reach him at 615-259-8020 and on Twitter @DavidClimer.

When it comes to football stadiums, the Southeastern Conference has an embarrassment of riches. Tennessean sports columnist David Climer ranks the best fan experiences, which includes what goes on outside the stadium as well as inside:

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No. 14 Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt Stadium

The game-day experience has become much better outside the stadium in the last handful of years, and the berm beyond the north end zone is a nice touch, but there has been only one major renovation of the facility since its construction in 1922. There is talk of a new stadium or a total makeover, but it remains in the planning stages.

No. 13 Kentucky

Commonwealth Stadium

Opened in 1973, this is the youngest of SEC stadiums. A $110 million renovation is under way, with the stated goal being to make the facility different from its conference brethren. At a press conference last November, principle architect Gerardo Prado said: "We don't want this to look like any other stadium in the Southeastern Conference." We'll see.

No. 12 Missouri

Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium

The Tigers' arrival in the SEC has coincided with major expansion projects at the stadium. They went so far as to move earth. Over the summer, the hill beyond the north end zone was repositioned closer to the field. The historic rock "M" - made of whitewashed stones - was broken down and stored until it could be reconstructed on the relocated hill.

No. 11 Mississippi State

Davis Wade Stadium

When the SEC banned the use of artificial noise-makers, the rule was aimed at one device: the humble cowbell. In 2010, the SEC came up with the "cowbell compromise," and Bulldogs fans now can ring away between snaps. Reminders are posted for fans to "ring responsibly." A recent renovation of the north end stands has pushed capacity to 61,000.

No. 10 Arkansas

Razorback Stadium

The addition of the second-largest video board in the United States (167 feet wide) enhances the fan experience. A planned renovation will push capacity to 80,000 or so when completed. In a conference known for its rowdy, loud supporters, the sound created when thousands of Razorbacks fans call the Hogs is in a league of its own.

No. 9 Ole Miss

Vaught-Hemingway Stadium

At every home game, there are hundreds of Rebels fans who never make it inside the stadium. Why? If you've ever participated in pre-game tailgating at The Grove, you would understand. The Grove, which encompasses about 10 acres, has been described as "the Holy Grail of tailgating" and "the mother and mistress of outdoor ritual mayhem."

No. 8 Auburn

Jordan-Hare Stadium

Swing by Toomer's Corner and pay your respects to the oak trees Harvey Updyke poisoned before catching the Tiger Walk, where Auburn's players and coaches walk through a corridor of fans on their way to the stadium. Before the opening kickoff, War Eagle VII, also known as Nova, soars far above the stands before landing on the field.

No. 7 Florida

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium

With the band cranking out music from "Jaws" and fans doing the Gator chomp, The Swamp can be quite the raucous, intimidating venue. When Phillip Fulmer was coaching at Tennessee, his wife once left the premises in tears and vowed never to return. A lot of visiting teams wish they had that option.

No. 6 Alabama

Bryant-Denny Stadium

After a stroll through The Quad, you can stop to see the statues of the five coaches who have won national championships with the Crimson Tide. Various renovation and expansion projects over the last few years have greatly improved the stadium. Note: The visiting team's locker room is named "The Fail Room" after Alabama alumnus and donor James M. Fail.

No. 5 Tennessee

Neyland Stadium

It once had the largest capacity of any on-campus football stadium in the country but has since been passed. Even so, a major facelift initiated in 2004 has given Neyland Stadium a markedly better look and feel. From its signature checkerboard end zones to the unique opportunity of tailgating (boat-gating?) with the Vol Navy, it's an impressive setting.

No. 4 South Carolina

Williams-Brice Stadium

Officially, the music is titled "Also Sprach Zarathustra." It is better known as the theme song from "2001: A Space Odyssey." It sets in motion a mad scene that culminates with the Gamecocks' entrance to the field through a cloud of smoke. South Carolina currently is riding the longest home winning streak in Division I - 18 games.

No. 3 Texas A&M

Kyle Field

A $450 million renovation is in the works, but even without it this is one of the unique environments in college football. It is, after all, the Home of the 12th Man. Kyle Field doesn't have a student section. It has a student side. The east side of the stadium is filled with students who stand the entire game. Aggie Yell Leaders help crank up the volume.

No. 2 Georgia

Sanford Stadium

To fans around the SEC, the Dawgs don't play at Sanford Stadium; they play between the hedges. Mascots Uga I through Uga VIII are buried in marble vaults on an embankment near the south stands. Precisely seven minutes before kickoff, a lone trumpeter plays the first 14 notes of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic." It's quite a scene.

No. 1 LSU

Tiger Stadium

This is really two different places: Tiger Stadium by day and Death Valley by night. Each is a top-tier setting, but there's nothing in college football quite like a night game at LSU. After a long day of tailgating, the party moves inside the stadium where it mushrooms. Legendary Alabama coach Bear Bryant called it "the worst place in the world for a visiting team." He was right.

David Climer's columns appear on Wednesday, Friday, Sunday and Monday. Reach him at 615-259-8020 and on Twitter @DavidClimer.